Prairie Oaks Metro Park

So I’ve got this dog-​mom guilt, and I feel horrible if I go somewhere to enjoy the outdoors, and I can’t take my dog with me. Many of the Metro Parks, though you can take your furry friend, do not allow pets on many of the trails. And if they do, it’s a boring paved trail.
Not at Prairie Oaks! This place loves dogs! Pets are allowed on basically every trail– and some are gravel, some are beautiful dirt paths, all through the woods and around the ponds and through the prairies– simply gorgeous! There is even an off-​leash area where your pup can hop in the water and splash around!
I’ve always though this park to be too much of a drive, so I hadn’t gone until now. But it’s only ten miles outside the West Outerbelt, and only about a mile off the freeway– very convenient, and you feel like you’re much farther away from the city than you are. I can’t wait to go back. Maybe I’ll go today!

Yesterday my mom and I decided to try out a new park for birding. We were not looking for anything in particular just went to be adventurous. We stopped at multiple areas of the park including the main park entrance, the northern entrance by beaver lake, the Darby Bend lakes, and the Sycamore Plains.
Everything looked very clean, I don’t think I saw a single piece of trash anywhere on our journey, and the play area by the main entrance looked like it was in very neat condition. All the lakes had a decent amount of people either swimming, fishing, and there was even an area to bring your dog to swim that was separate from the other areas.
The only reason I did not give this park ⁵⁄₅ is because while we were on one of the trails (we did the full Sycamore Plains Trail), it was heavily flooded in a certain area (I understand that nature is unpredictable at times though) so much that we were unaware if we were even still on the trail and there was a tree that was sectioned off by caution tape. Curiously we walked closer only to be greeted by a huge bee hive living in a tree. Luckily we didn’t get stung, and I am glad that it was sectioned off to warn people.
I would highly recommend for a nice day out at the park.

Prairie Oaks Metro Park is a very nice location for hiking, fishing, picnicking, and horseback riding. I went recently for one of the «Winter Hikes» put on by the Columbus Metro Parks and I was pleasantly surprised by my great experience. Keep in mind that there are a few different entrances to the park, which should not matter on most occasions. However, you won’t mistake the main entrance as anything but, as there are three big parking lots and a pavilion to indicate it as the main entrance. By the pavilion there is a fire pit as well, which comes in handy when you are on a «winter hike,» be it official or unofficial.
There are long and winding paths for hiking, and some designated specifically for horseback riding. Be sure to really sit and study the maps, however, as the trails are very confusing (they really need to make their maps not so confusing… maybe I am just a bit dense with directions). There are also two big ponds, one of which is specifically for dogs to swim in (or for them to frolic on top of when it is frozen over in the winter).
The scenery is fantastic here… the lakes make everything look and feel calm and serene, and the trails have great views (none of which involve skyscrapers… you can’t complain about that). The path crosses over the Big Darby Creek via a pretty impressive bridge… and the paths wind through open fields and forested areas alike.
Head outside the 270 Loop and get some fresh air at Praire Oaks Metro Park!

There are a few of the metro parks that you might not think that you are still in the Columbus area. Prairie Oaks Metro Park is one of those. This park is on the fringe of the metropolitan area where the farmland starts and because of that is serenely silent except for the sounds of nature. A name like Prairie Oaks is deceiving as the landscape is rolling hills with lots of wooded area, lakes as well as the Big Darby Creek. Don’t get me wrong, there are some open grassy areas. It was named for the many bur oak trees and prairies that once thrived in the area, which is known as the Till Plains and was created by glaciers many, many moons ago. Spring and summer bring vast arrays of wildflowers, such as ashy sunflower and royal catchfly. Wildlife is rich at Prairie Oaks with birds, mice, squirrels, coyote and deer.
Hiking is a major activity and the rolling hills provide some resistance for a cardio workout, especially when there’s snow on the ground. Unlike the more urban parks, these trails are not paved. The trails vary in degree, from fairly level like the Bridle and Coneflower Trails, to steep hills and uneven terrain like the Osage and the Sycamore Plains Trails. At Prairie Oaks you can bike, horseback ride and cross country ski, but not on all trails. Pets are allowed on some trails, but must be on leashes. Canoeing and fishing can be done in the lakes and Big Darby Creek. Programs include hikes like a lantern walk, coyote calling and star gazing.

The park was great this weekend and because it was not busy due to the WAG Festival we got to explore much more. We hiked about 3 of the trails. We ran into a fisherman who was not having any luck but said he does frequent here and is usually successful-​the lakes contain Perch, Trout, Catfish, and Crappy.
I checked out the bathroom and they were open and clean.
I also learned that one of the trails is open for XC Skiing in the winter-Can’t wait to try that!